unofficial LEL facilities

[teethgrinder]

Sheila Simpson asked me at the AGM for a list of what can be used on the LEL route for food, accommodation and controls. The idea is that peole can ride LEL as a permanent, given that the event is now full.

This could well come in handy if you're riding LEL as a permanent and/or as a route checker, orperhaps if you are riding LEL proper.
It is all from my memory and a lot of it is from 4 years ago, so things may have changed and I could be wrong about a few bits, but it should be pretty accurate.
24 hour facilitis become more scarce the furher north you go. Then any facilities at all become more scarse.
It is not an extensive list. It is just what I remember from LEL and other rides, so my northern knowledge is a bit sketchy.

Feel free to add to, remove or correct what I have mentioned.


Lea Valley Youth Hostel and local shops.

Lea Valley to Gamlingay, nothing I remember.
There is a village shop in Walkern, east of Stevenage.

Gamlingay Co-Op shop and pubs
St Neots Shops, hotels, banks petrol garages. A Tesco on the A428 but not sure if it's a 24 hour. Not sure if it has a cafe either. Tesco seem to be doing away with their cafes lately.
Kimbolton ATMs, pub serving food, a coffe shop, a cafe hidden in a shop but I can't remmber which shop. I think it has a sign outside though.
Wansford going north on the route, after Wansford, a (not 24 hour) petrol garage. I think it shuts at 2200, but not sure.
Just before the A15 A garden centre, which I think has a cafe.
North Hykenham (Lincoln) Travelodge, Little Chef, petrol garage at North Hykenham. Lincoln itself has everything you'd expect a small city to have.
Sturton by Stow small village shop
Gainsborough Another large town wih a 24 hour Tesco somewhere. On the LEL route, there is a 24 hour garage on your right at the traffic lights where the route goes left to cross the River Trent. You can get a tea/coffee there at any hour. Over the River Trent a Brewsters pub, which serves food every day until 2200 (possibly later)
Further on, turn left at the roundabout to Sundby, for Rosies cafe, a well known AUK cafe, if you ride events up north.
Misterton Small village shop. Further up the road, just before where the route turns left intoa minor road, a pub called, "The Gate Inn." Very good and very cheap food. Last time I was there, a minced beef and onion pie (probably home made) was £2.50. That as a few years ago now though.
Sandtoft A pub, which might serve food?
Thorne Chip shop, pubs, petrol garage and ATM. The garage was 24 hours, but has been altered so may no longer be 24 hours.
Moorends Local shop and local pubs.
Roundabout with A614 and A645 Cafe. was the Redbridge cafe, not sure if t's still called that anymore. I haven't been in there for several years now and it's been altered. Further up the road where you turn right to Airmyn is Clews garage. Petrol garage, Mc Donalds Travel Inn and pub restaurant which will serve food until 2200
Howden Hotels serving food ATMs and a Co-Op shop open until 2200.(not sure about Sundays)
Stamford Bridge Costcutter shop. Probably a pub

From between Howden and Thirsk, there is hardly anything at all but you may get a village pub. It may be better to go via York or Malton for a permanent?

Thirsk Tesco which I think is a 24 hour but does hav ATMs and is as good as on the route. Usual stuff you'd get in a town.
Scotch Corner Motorway service station. Greasy spoon cafe at Barton a few miles north of Scotch Corner.
Barnard Caste ATMs, local mini supermarkets pubs and hotels.
Middleton in TeesdaleATMs, mini supermarket, pubs and maybe a hotel.
Langdon Beck Youth Hostel
Alston As you enter Alston from the south, descending in where the cobbles start, an excellent cafe on your left. Fantastic fish and chips. Plus local shops, pubs, hotel, youth hostel and a garage.
Brampton Pubs and shops.

Carlisle has a BP Truckstop which does cheap accommodation and has a 24 hour cafe. Also an Asda next door. It's off the A7 and south of junction 44 of the M6. Try Asda store locator and you'll find it.

Longtown Local shops
Newcatleton Local shop I think.
Crossroas with B709 and A708 Gordon Arms Hotel
Innerleithen Shops, pubs and hotels. I stayed in a four poster bed in the Corner Hotel in 2005 for £30 B&B.
There are Forestry Commision mountain bike trails a few miles north of there, it may have a cafe? Quite a few of them do, especially the popular ones like I think this one is.
Dalkeith 24 hour Tesco on the humungous roundabout. It's on the route and you can't really miss it.

[Ivo]

Adding to Teethgrinders excellent roundup:

Alston at the bottom of the cobblestone section turn right (on the way out) to find a Boots.

The monastry in Eskdalemuir served excellent tea.

[Salvatore]

Gainsborough Another large town wih a 24 hour Tesco somewhere. On the LEL route, there is a 24 hour garage on your right at the traffic lights where the route goes left to cross the River Trent. You can get a tea/coffee there at any hour. Over the River Trent a Brewsters pub, which serves food every day until 2200 (possibly later)
Further on, turn left at the roundabout to Sundby, for Rosies cafe, a well known AUK cafe, if you ride events up north.

Tesco is not far from the route (straight on after Trent bridge then L at RBT onto Trinity St.) but not 24 hours. Open 6am to midnight on the relevant days.
The pub is the Trent Port, just before the bridge. You can't miss it, it's the only building on the Nottinghamshire side.

[MSeries]

Useful. Just a few amendments, I think the Thirks Tescos closes at midnight though the garage maybe 24 hour. And, the 2009 route does not go through Stamford Bridge (unless they've changed it since I surveyed it) but it does have a small supermarket as you say, fish & chip shop and atm.

Barton Truck stop is not 24 hour but the garage there is.

[teethgrinder]

Gainsborough Another large town wih a 24 hour Tesco somewhere. On the LEL route, there is a 24 hour garage on your right at the traffic lights where the route goes left to cross the River Trent. You can get a tea/coffee there at any hour. Over the River Trent a Brewsters pub, which serves food every day until 2200 (possibly later)
Further on, turn left at the roundabout to Sundby, for Rosies cafe, a well known AUK cafe, if you ride events up north.

Tesco is not far from the route (straight on after Trent bridge then L at RBT onto Trinity St.) but not 24 hours. Open 6am to midnight on the relevant days.
The pub is the Trent Port, just before the bridge. You can't miss it, it's the only building on the Nottinghamshire side.

That is how you get to Tesco coming from the north.

I remember a nice lady who fed me well somewhere north of Lincoln. I heard that she moved though. It's a pity that. A lot of hungry ranodonneurs would have done well to take advantage of her hospitality. Very good protion sizes.
I don't suppose you know where that nice lady has moved to, eh John? Not far I believe.

[Greenbank]

Excellent idea. I'll add what I can remember from my DIY up to Thorne in October when I get a chance.

I'll also take a copy of this and try and remember to make notes when I do the whole route up to Edinburgh next month.

Thorne Chip shop, pubs, petrol garage and ATM. The garage was 24 hours, but has been altered so may no longer be 24 hours.

The garage (the one on Bridge St) is 24 hours but was serving us and the local yoof through a hatch when we got there at about 11pm. (October 2008)

[MSeries]

Excellent idea. I'll add what I can remember from my DIY up to Thorne in October when I get a chance.

I'll also take a copy of this and try and remember to make notes when I do the whole route up to Edinburgh next month.

Thorne Chip shop, pubs, petrol garage and ATM. The garage was 24 hours, but has been altered so may no longer be 24 hours.

The garage (the one on Bridge St) is 24 hours but was serving us and the local yoof through a hatch when we got there at about 11pm. (October 2008)

Doors reopen at 05:00. There is a 24 hour garage in Howden about 2km off route. Instead of turning "left after the garage", keep going across the roundabout, BP garage on the right.

[frankly frankie]

Further up the road where you turn right to Airmyn is Clews garage. Petrol garage, Mc Donalds Travel Inn etc ...

He means left.  (And it's 'Glews' garage, if anyone tries to google it)

Dalkeith 24 hour Tesco on the humungous roundabout. It's on the route and you can't really miss it.

The route detail has been rejigged at this point and this roundabout is not on the route sheet, which turns off at the previous O.  But there's no harm in going this way if you want to of course - not really any further, just 2 sides of a square.

Thanks for posting Steve, I'll pass it on to Sheila as you suggest, she doesn't lurk here.

[Cyclops]

Innerleithen Shops, pubs and hotels. I stayed in a four poster bed in the Corner Hotel in 2005 for £30 B&B.
There are Forestry Commision mountain bike trails a few miles north of there, it may have a cafe? Quite a few of them do, especially the popular ones like I think this one is.

The Forestry Commission cafe is at Glentress which is about 7km off the LEL route on the A72 to Peebles.

[LEL]

Chemists would be useful to know - there was a demand  for this info in 2005.

[coll_coll]

For all NHS services, including chemists try the NHS web site here

Craig

[Salvatore]

There's a bike shop, Barron's, at Stow on the southbound route between Gainsborough and Lincoln. It is right on the route, but it isn't obviously a bike shop - it's on the left as you are leaving Stow going south (5 Sturton Road).

[tiermat]

I can confirm that neither the Tesco, nor the petrol station in Thirsk is 24 hour.

As you pass through Sowerby there is a Garden Centre with a cafe just slightly off route.

Northallerton Tesco is not 24 hour either, both close around midnight (though Thirsk may be 10PM IIRC)

[Really Ancien]

Two bike shops in St Neots.

L and S Cycles 29 Huntingdon St, St Neots PE19 1BG Telephone 01480 477665

The Bike Clinic 99 Huntingdon St, St Neots PE19 1DU Telephone 01480 470300

Damon.

[Really Ancien]

There's a cinema in Thirsk, in case you need to catch up on the current releases.
Welcome to the Ritz Cinema in Thirsk Yorkshire, Herriot Country, Films in Community
Volunteer Cinema

Damon.

[tiermat]

There's a cinema in Thirsk, in case you need to catch up on the current releases.
Welcome to the Ritz Cinema in Thirsk Yorkshire, Herriot Country, Films in Community
Volunteer Cinema

Damon.

If you class current as at least 6 months ago!!!!!!!!!

Anyways back on track, bike shop wise in this part of the country you have Millgate Motors in Thirsk, which is ok-ish for the basics, Cowley Cycles and a Halfords in Northallerton.  Arthur Caygills in Richmod is not too far off route either.

[Deano]

Connelly's Toy Shop in Barnard Castle does bike bits, though you shouldn't expect much more than a spare tube or cable.

It's just down from the bandstand, on The Bank.

[toontra]

Cowley Cycles ... in Northallerton. 

Very highly recommended.  They straightened my hanger and indexed my derailleur for free while I waited on my first London-Edinburgh in 2006.

[Really Ancien]

There's a cinema in Thirsk, in case you need to catch up on the current releases.
Welcome to the Ritz Cinema in Thirsk Yorkshire, Herriot Country, Films in Community
Volunteer Cinema

Damon.

If you class current as at least 6 months ago!!!!!!!!!

That's a bit harsh, they've got Slumdog Millionaire on at the moment. I think we should all make an effort to use local facilities, especially community run ones. There's a lot of miles in a tub of popcorn, a Cornetto and a Kia-Ora.

Damon.

[Deano]

Filling in some of the blanks in the northern England section, there's a village shop in Middleton Tyas (though you could be forgiven for missing it, and it's no hardship to nip to Scotch Corner Services instead).

Barton Post Office keeps quite convenient hours.

There's a little shop in Eppleby - but it keeps rather rural hours.  I wouldn't rely on it.  The Cross Keys in Eppleby is quite a friendly pub if you need anything.

After Middleton-in-Teesdale, the High Force Hotel has a little shop attached which serves ice cream and snacks.  The hotel itself serves a decent lunch, too.

And it's also worth mentioning the Langdon Beck Hotel, just after the youth hostel, since it's the last hostelry - and very nearly the last habitation of any kind - until you cross over the top into Tynedale.

[JJ]

Is there a sane way to put this lot jointly into a gpx or similar?  How cool it would be to have the whole lot in the GPS as points of interest.

I couldn't see how to do it with Bikely but that doesn't mean you can't.  Maybe a shared account, PM'd round between contributors?.. I wouldn't want it to be a load of work for any one person.